Panasonic Intros Its Smallest Digicam System

Secaucus, N.J. -
Panasonic made a series of announcements Friday, including the introduction of
its Lumix DMC-GF3X and DMC-FZ150 digital cameras.

The Lumix DMC-GF3X
features the newly designed Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm/F3.5-5.6 Asph./Power OIS
(H-PS14042) lens, designed to retract to
reduce its size. Panasonic said the GF3X, when combined with the new lens, is
the company's smallest and lightest compact system camera.

With
electric-powered zoom operation, the retractable Power Zoom lens is reportedly
26.8mm in length, and weighs about 3.35 ounces.

The GF3X and G X
lens can achieve Light Speed AF of approximately 0.1 second, according to the
company. Features include Power OIS for shooting in low light, a zoom lever on
the lens barrel, manual focusing, and 1,920 by 1,080 FullHD video in the AVCHD
format.

The GF3X will be
available in black body and black lens or silver body and silver lens kit
options in October for $749 suggested retail.

The lens will also
be available separately for $399 and will be compatible with the DMC-G3,
DMC-GF3 and DMC-GF2 models.

Panasonic's second
camera introduction, the FZ150, features a 25mm ultra-wide-angle Leica DC Vario-Elmarit
lens and a 24x optical zoom available for shooting both stills and videos. It has
the company's Nano Surface Coating technology, meant to minimize light
reflection that causes ghost and flare, and a 3D Photo Mode.

The 3D Photo mode
takes 20 panning shots and then the camera automatically selects the two most
suitable images -- one for the right eye and one for the left eye -- to
synthesize a 3D composite, Panasonic said. The 3D image can then be viewed on
any Viera 3D HDTV. The format of 3D images is said to be compatible with MPO,
which can be played back on other MPO-compatible equipment.